English Chess Forum

I am attempting to set a number of DGT 2010s for a blitz event this coming Sunday.

I wish to set 3' + 2"

I've used DGT pre-set 18 and set the second bonus setting to 2"

The initial time is shown as 3.02 in each case.

Is it possible to set it such that they display 3.00 and yet have an increment of 2"?

Thanks for your help

(Clearly this is rather trivial but I'd appreciate knowing the answer)

I realise I can bodge things by setting the first time to be 2'58".

That is weird. Just tried both mode 15 and 18 and they both give the behaviour you described.
Now I am quite curious at the answer.

The manual states:
5c. Bonus (“Fischer”) Single Period (Options 15 – 18) One period with bonus time. The bonus time is added to every move from the very outset of the game. When the clock starts, the bonus time is already added for the first move and will be added after the completion of each subsequent move.

Wadih Khoury wrote:

Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:32 pm

90
Now I am quite curious at the answer.

It's normal practice for DGT clocks to add the increment seconds for move one. If you don't, you lose an increment. The standard 90 30 always starts at 90 minutes and 30 seconds although you are only aware of this with the newer models that always show seconds.

I would think that if you wanted the time to show 3 minutes exactly with 2 second increments, the initial setting would have to be 2 minutes and 58 seconds.

On a clock not showing seconds, bpth 90 0 and 90 30 will show the same 1 hr 30 initial time. The 90 0 setting will almost immediately change to 1 hr 29 without increment and wait 30 seconds to change when the increment is present.

Roger is right. This is a non-issue. Just use the preset program 15.

Tim Harding wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:54 pm

Roger is right. This is a non-issue. Just use the preset program 15.

Doh!

Thanks Tim.

Is this 3 minutes + 2 the new thing and now the norm.

On Tuesday I played a bunch of juniors at blitz and two asked for the time control to be 3 and 2.
Of course I had no idea how to set it up on my digital clock so we played 5+0 instead.
(I actually won a few! though a blitz session the previous week saw Freddy Gordon taking me out 4-0.)

This thread has been of help and I'm now off to tinker with my digital clock so I can be one of the ''in' crowd.

3+2 is a fairly decent time control over the board - the increments are enough to survive a time scramble without getting flagged if you move fast but not enough to ruin the spirit of blitz, online I don't really rate it much as people can abuse premove to gain the full 2 seconds thus being able to effectively play an unlimited time game.

Geoff Chandler wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:42 am

Is this 3 minutes + 2 the new thing and now the norm.

Seemingly so. Its popularity may be influenced by its availablility as a preset on the DGT 2010 clocks.

Never having played it before, I played a Blitz session and checked the move counter at the end of each game. That rarely went beyond move 40, so in a way it's more equivalent to 4 0 than 5 0.

I agree with Joey that increments in online blitz may not be a good idea if pre-moves are allowed.

OTB the Irish Chess Union has been using 3+2 for FIDE-rated blitz tournaments for the last few years.

It's program 10 on the DGT 3000 which is the most commonly used clock here.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:23 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:42 am

Is this 3 minutes + 2 the new thing and now the norm.

Seemingly so. Its popularity may be influenced by its availablility as a preset on the DGT 2010 clocks.

Never having played it before, I played a Blitz session and checked the move counter at the end of each game. That rarely went beyond move 40, so in a way it's more equivalent to 4 0 than 5 0.

But without the mad scramble for slow coaches like me to convert extra pieces before your time runs out.